No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeBolivarian RevolutionVenezuela opposition leader Leopoldo López gets nearly 14 years prison

Venezuela opposition leader Leopoldo López gets nearly 14 years prison

CARACAS, Venezuela — Jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López was sentenced to 13 years, nine months and seven days in prison, his lawyer Roberto Marrero said late Thursday.

The popular dissident, a U.S.-trained economist who has been held at a military prison since February 2014, is accused of inciting violence against the government of President Nicolás Maduro and attempting to force his ouster.

Marrero made the announcement on his Twitter account, noting that López will be held at the Ramo Verde military prison, the site where he is currently being held.

“If the sentence condemns me you will be more fearful to read it than I will be to hear it, because you know that I’m innocent,” López defiantly told the judge according to a witness, David Smolansky.

Smolansky, a Caracas neighborhood mayor, was at the closed-door hearing.

Fighting broke out earlier in the day between supporters of Leopoldo López, 44, and pro-government demonstrators outside the courthouse.

Wielding sticks and plastic bottles, supporters of socialist President Maduro’s government descended on a group of López’s followers who had been waiting since the early hours of the morning for the final phase of his trial, an AFP correspondent said.

López supporters said one of their activists had died of a heart attack during the scuffle — a claim that could not be independently verified.

The police and national guard later intervened to keep the two groups apart.

See also: Who is jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo López?

Trending Now

Costa Rica Peanut Growing Guide From Planting to Harvest

Not long ago, a neighbor gave us some peanuts she said were from Peru. Since we’ve had good luck growing peanuts, we were excited...

Heavy Rains in Costa Rica Cause Severe Flooding

Costa Rica faces another tough week as persistent heavy rains pound our country, leading to widespread flooding, landslides, and disrupted lives. This October, the...

What Camera Traps Miss Chasing Jaguars in Costa Rica

Five years ago, I began my journey using camera traps in wildlife monitoring projects in Costa Rica. A few years after that I began...

Costa Rica’s Liberia Airport Fixes Runway Issues Overnight

Contractors began repairs on the runway at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport this week, focusing on sections that did not meet required standards after...

Costa Rica Monitors Caribbean Tropical Wave with 70% Storm Chance

Those who live along the Caribbean coast know all too well how quickly weather can turn in October. Right now, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional...

El Salvador Rolls Out Bitcoin Bonds Amid Crypto Surge

El Salvador has pushed forward with its bold experiment in cryptocurrency, launching Bitcoin-backed bonds that tie the nation's finances directly to the volatile world...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica